Indonesia: 9 Dead in Islamic School Collapse – 59 Missing

The nightmare continues for students trapped under the rubble of a collapsed Islamic school on Java Island, Indonesia, which fell on Monday (September 29, 2025), and for their grieving families. The confirmed death toll has now reached nine, according to Indonesia’s national disaster agency, as search operations persist for possible survivors. The Al-Khoziniah school in Sidoarjo, located about 780 kilometers east of Jakarta, collapsed while teenage students were gathered for afternoon prayers in a ground-floor mosque. Upper floors were still under construction, leading to dozens becoming trapped. Rescuers continue searching for over 50 students—mostly boys aged 13 to 19—still buried beneath the debris. Officials confirmed Thursday that 59 people remain missing, with no further signs of life detected under the wreckage, indicating the final toll could be much higher. The number of fatalities rose from five to nine after rescue teams, with parental consent, began using heavy machinery to clear rubble. According to the disaster agency, 14 survivors have been hospitalized. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the collapse, with initial expert assessments suggesting structural flaws and failure to meet building codes. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, is home to approximately 42,000 Islamic boarding schools, educating around 7 million students.